“The Intern in Charge”: Meet the 22-Year-Old Trump’s Team Picked to Lead Terrorism Prevention

Thomas Fugate, a 22-year-old with no national security experience, has been put in charge of the Department of Homeland Security's main hub for terrorism prevention, including an $18 million grant program. Fugate, a former Trump campaign worker, was appointed to the role despite having no apparent expertise in the field. The appointment has raised alarm among counterterrorism researchers and nonprofit groups funded by the office, who are stunned by Fugate's lack of experience. Fugate's LinkedIn profile shows no threat prevention experience, and his leadership experience comes from being secretary general of a Model United Nations club. The office, known as CP3, has been decimated since President Trump returned to the White House, with many staffers leaving and grant work stopping and restarting. The office's mission has changed overnight, with a focus away from domestic extremism and towards border security. The Trump administration has largely left terrorism prevention to the states, and the office's grant work has been cut back. Current and former national security officials say the administration's decision to shift counterterrorism resources to immigration and leave the violence-prevention portfolio to inexperienced appointees is "reckless." The fate of CP3 is one example of the fallout from deep cuts that have eliminated public health and violence-prevention initiatives across federal agencies. The Trump administration rejects claims of a retreat from terrorism prevention, noting partnerships with law enforcement agencies and swift investigations of recent attacks.